Running the Tractor on Straight Vegetable Oil from Oil Crops - Winter Crops

Winter Crops for Bioenergy and More

March 29, 2011

Doug Schaufler, P.E. Farm Operations & Services Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences University Park, PA

Biodiesel blends and B100

Straight vegetable oil (SVO)

1900 Rudolph Diesel

demonstrates his new engine at the World’s Fair in Paris, running on peanut oil.

1908 Henry Ford unveils his

Model T, designed to run on either gasoline or ethanol, “the fuel of the future.”

US opts for petroleum instead of plant-based fuels.

Testing 100% biodiesel and SVO in agricultural tractors

Straight Vegetable Oil

(SVO)

Animal Fat or Vegetable Oil

Transesterification

using alcohol & catalyst

Biodiesel

Fuel Type BTU/US gallon

Regular gasoline 125,000

Ethanol 84,600

Methanol 64,600

Gasohol (10% ethanol) 120,900

Kerosene 135,000

#2 Diesel 138,700

Biodiesel 126,200

Straight vegetable oil (SVO) 123,000

Comparison of fuels

In collaboration with New Holland, four new tractors ran 3 years on B100 – these have been returned to New Holland for evaluation.

2 new pieces of equipment running SVO

Exploring long term effects of biodiesel and SVO

Penn State University converted diesel fuel station for all diesel fuel to B20 in 2006

New Holland endorses B100 in 2007

- NH Tier IV engines required in 2011 in over 175 HP off road equipment no longer endorsing B100 use – B20 the maximum

New Holland TC40 injectors after 2

years on B100

May require engine modifications

Heated to change the viscosity

Start engine on petro-diesel fuel

Shut down on petro-diesel fuel

Engine deposit buildups after running on straight soybean oil

85C = 185F

KernKraft Oilseed Press

KernKraft Oilseed Press

Filter Press

Straight Vegetable Oil Fuel

Case 621E Loader (146 net HP) (109 net kW)

New Holland T7060 (180 PTO HP) (134 PTO kW)

Our challenges with the SVO systems

•Engine coolant not reaching operating temperature •SVO filter clogging •Low temperatures – mix with petroleum diesel •Power supply – 12V vs. 24V •Fuse location in control box

NH T7060 •SVO too hot from heat exchanger – engine depowering •SVO filter clogging •Low temperatures – mix with petroleum diesel

Case 621E

Oil Seed Crop Yield

Oil Yield Oil Yield

Overall SVO vs. Petro-diesel usage at Penn State

NH T7060

(1370 hours)

Case 621E

(1118 hours)

% SVO used of

total fuel use 85% 53%

Total SVO used 3428 gallons 796 gallons

Total diesel used 628 gallons 701 gallons

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100

Po

we

r (k

W)

RPM

NH 7060: Power vs. RPM for Diesel and SVO December, 2010

Diesel Power (kW)

SVO Power (kW)

Rated Power – 134 kW (180 HP)

Crude Protein

33.9%

Canola

Meal

Analysis

Crude Fat

16.9%

PSU Cold-pressed Canola Oil

Canola

Canola meal

Oilseed press

Canola seed

Used fryer oil

Fryer oil Oil

Canola

Biodiesel processor

Penn State Canola Oil Cycle

QUESTIONS?